Panel OKs Vaccine Bill; Floor Vote Next

On Tuesday, the state moved one step closer to rescinding a personal-belief exemption to childhood vaccine laws in California.

The Assembly Committee on Health spent more than four hours in hearing deliberations -- sometimes heated and emotional -- on SB 277 by Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento). They eventually approved it on a 12-6 partisan vote.

Hundreds of Californians from all over the state queued up at yesterday's hearing to register their opinions, most of them opposing the bill. One anti-vaccination advocate was escorted out of the hearing for being disruptive.